Can’t figure out how to share your homebrewing passion with your significant other? Guest beer blogger Heather Erickson shares some tips:
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As a single, 30-something year old girl, the mention of my future goal of wanting to someday be a beer brewer sends all potential soul mates into a frenzy. They are intrigued. They are enthralled. In fact, I think a lot of the time, this fact about me is what keeps them coming back for more. While I might not have an issue with breaking the news to a skeptical significant other, you might. Below are my tips on how to gently break it to your love that you want to brew beer:
- Include them in your passion.
My dating adventures over the past half decade have exposed me to a lot of fun activities, things I would have never tried if my significant other at the time wasn’t passionate about it. I’ve tried fly fishing, mountain climbing, marathon running, and even cooking (yes, I said cooking). My advice? Take them to a brewery, engage them in a beer tasting, allow them to get to know what you love about beer. Invite them on a brewery tour, go shopping at a home brew shop, include them at your next brew day. Maybe even pick up a homebrew equipment kit to try out together. Once they understand why you love brewing beer, they will be much more open to your future career path.
- Find something they like about beer.
I understand that I am somewhat of an anomaly: a girl that loves everything about beer maybe more than life itself. While I usually reach towards craft beer, I do admit that there is a time and a place for a pint of yellow fizz. Surprisingly, I have come across many men in my date-able range that haven’t known that much about beer, whether it was about the craft or just trying to figure out what they like to drink. The teacher in me has taken them on and tutored their palettes to explore everything that is beer. Through lots of drinking – er, I mean, “research” – most have found at least one beer that they liked to drink. Even my good friend who can’t stop drinking Cherry Coke has found beer that she enjoys. My advice? Take your +1 on a journey, a palette journey to be exact. Find out what they like and who knows, you might find some new beers you do too. Pick up the book North American Clone Brews to replicate the beer at home that they enjoyed the most.
- Be patient.
Now that your significant other knows about beer and why you like it, be patient. Any further prompting or pushing might just end up with them in the opposite direction. A huge misconception that I have come across is that the fact that I want to be a beer brewer means that I will be drunk all the time. Completely not the case. Drinking? Yes. Out of control drunk? Not at all. My example on this one is how my patience has paid off with my mom.
Hearing that your only child, a girl at that, wants to dive into the world of beer brewing might have been a bit hard to take. Over the past three years, I have included Mom in all that is beer. From beer festivals to home brew shops, to even beer dinners, she has slowly become accustomed to my beer world. So much so, that for Mother’s Day, she made sure to pick a place for us to eat that would have a sufficient tap list for me. How’s that for acceptance? My advice? Include your honey in everything. Allow them to be a part of your dreams. They don’t have to love beer as much as you do. Over time, they will grow to accept your passion.
Beer brewing. While some consider it a work of art, others consider it a scientific process. Regardless of how you see it, be sure to include your partner in everything you do. The best cheerleaders to have in your corner are the ones that you love.
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Heather Erickson is a homebrewer with five years experience and has competed in the GABF Pro-Am Competition.